solo & inviting stillness

It's official: I am a solo traveller...

I am feeling so completely "at home" in Vienna, and I know that it was meant-to-be that my transition to life as a solo traveller would occur here. Culturally, Vienna feels not so distant from home (aside from everything being gorgeous and centuries old, and the fact that everyone speaks German), and I honestly cannot imagine a better couch surfing experience. I am very, very well.

On Monday evening, Michaela (C.S. host extraordinaire), Sarah, and I went to a very traditional and non-touristy Austrian restaurant for schnitzel, Austrian wine and "sturm", and cake.  It was the perfect end for Sarah's journey, and she described the evening as giving her "a second travel wind". Delicious food, fabulous company, and great to be somewhere that wasn't infiltrated with tourists for a more authentic experience.

A major focus of the last two days has been art.  Yesterday, a trip to the Belvedere Palaces, both Upper and Lower Belvedere, filled my afternoon with works such as Klimt's "The Kiss" (the most famous work at the gallery) and "Adam and Eve", as well as works by Egon Schiele (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Egon_Schiele), Renoir, Rodin, and many others.  The "Character Heads" of Franz Xaver Messerschmidt also really stood out (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Franz_Xaver_Messerschmidt), particularly due to their uniqueness for the time period they were created in.  At the "Lower Belevedere" palace, the featured exhibition was entitled "Sleeping Beauty", and the focal point was Frederic Leighton's famous "Flaming June":  http://persephone.cps.unizar.es/~spd/Pre-Raphaelites/Big/FlamingJune.jpg.

Today, at the Leopold Museum in the famous "Museums Quartier", more Klimt and Schiele were the highlights (the world's largest collection of Schiele is found here).  I was also introduced to the architecture of Joseph Maria Olbrich, and the overtly and unapologetically sexual works of Otto Muehl (not sure how some of these paintings would go over in a Canadian gallery).  In addition to his vibrant paintings, the walls were covered in quotes from Muehl's various manifestos.  Many were controversial, certainly, as aspects of his life have certainly been less than admirable. Many of his ideas were inspiring though, particularly with regards to the role that art has to play in society, and art's importance as an expressive medium.  I also appreciated a display that integrated paintings of Klimt, Schiele, and Koloman Moser, with quotes and ideas from Freud, all contemporaries of one another.  I left the museum feeling fully saturated, and I am really looking forward to a special exhibit of the works of Frida Kahlo tomorrow.

Yesterday, when not perusing Viennese art galleries, I found myself fighting with (and eventually throwing out) the umbrella that I had purchased just one day previously.  I have heard that the weather at home has been sweltering.  Well, yesterday it was 10 degrees and pouring rain in Vienna. Idealistic, I set out initially to do some sightseeing on foot, but quickly found myself sopping wet and drinking coffee in a lovely little cafe across the street from the opera house, watching other tourists fight with their respective cheap umbrellas, while I dried off a bit. I was thrilled to see the sun today, and went for a lovely jog this morning, before heading to the city centre and the art gallery.  I am becoming quite accustomed to my morning subway trip into downtown from Michaela's apartment.  The Viennese people truly have it going on when it comes to public transit - this is the most efficient and thorough system I have ever experienced, and apparently, the subway system here is renowned worldwide.  Tonight, Michaela and I made a simple and yet delicious salad together (and she tried raw mushrooms for the first time - apparently this is quite unusual in these parts), drank wine, and did laundry.  Tomorrow, I will smell good once again - such simple pleasures. :)

In these past 2 days since Sarah left, I have noticed my aversion to stillness, the habit I have of waking up with a "to-do" list for the day already running through my mind before I so much as open my eyes. Though I have no set schedule whatsoever and nearly 3 months still ahead of me, still I wake up worried that I won't see everything I want to see in the day.  I seek to let go of this need to always be "doing" and this pressure I am apparently putting on myself to "see everything" and not to "waste time".  There is some serious deconstruction of these ideas to be done, as I learn to just let each day unfold as it will, to remain in the present, and let this trip be whatever it is meant to be.

Yesterday, when looking for Couch Surfing options in Salzburg, I found a woman who lives 90km south of Salzburg, in the middle of the Alps.  I messaged her on a whim, and cried when I got her response today.  Hiking, mountain waterfalls, glaciers, and so on, are all close by to her little piece of paradise, 25km away from even the closest village.  And, not only would she be thrilled to host me, but she will be in Salzburg on Monday, so will even drive me to her place, so that I don't need to figure out public transport to her home.  Serendipity.  I am loving Vienna, and am also excited that I will be spending some time next week away from car fumes, cigarette smoke, and city noise, hiking in the Alps. This is soo meant to be.

I have been re-reading Paulo Coelho's "The Alchemist", as it seems very fitting for this journey that I am finding myself on.  My favourite quote from yesterday: "The boy felt jealous of the freedom of the wind, and saw that he could have the same freedom.  There was nothing to hold him back except himself."

Filled with the knowledge that I was meant to be right here, right now...

And sending my love.